Rowlock



UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

FRED H. BASSETT, OF \VATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ROWLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,836, dated May 12, 1896.

Application filed October 22, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED H. BASSETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rowlocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in rowlocks; and it consists of a dust-proof bearing for the vertical spindle or journal of the rowlock, said bearing to be constantly attached to said journal, and the socket to be attached to the gunwale in which such bearing is supported when the rowlocks are used.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved rowlock, showing the rowlock mounted in the gunwale socket-iron and a section of the ear attached to the fork of the rowlock. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of a broken section of one of the gunwale socketirons. Fig. 3 is a detail upper plan view of a broken section of the gunwale socket-iron shown in Fig. 2. Fi 4 is a detail side elevation of the rowlock attached to its dust-proof bearing, showing also the upper portion of the forks broken. Fig. 5 is a detail central sectional view of the rowlock-bearing and a broken section of the rowlock, showing the chamber for lubricant formed in the bearing. Fig. 6 is a detail central sectional view of the rowlock-bearing and a broken section of the rowlock-spindle mounted therein, showing also the said spindle or journal of the rowlock reduced in its central part to form the chamher for lubricant.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

The socket-iron is composed of the horizontal plate 1, having holes therein, as shown, for attaching it to the gunwale of a boat. Projecting above and below the horizontal edges of this gunwale-plate is the socket 2, having, Fig. 3, the central hole 3 therethrough to receive the rowlock-bearing a. I prefer to cut away the central part of this socket, so as to leave it open between the points 12 b. The bearing a, Fig. 5, is adapted to receive the spindle-journal 5 of the rowlock G, which spindle is rotatable therein and is detachably se- $erial No. 566,479. (No model.)

cured thereto by means of the pin 7, passing through the bearing i and to one side of the center thereof, and such pin,cngagin g with the annular groove 8 at the lower end of the spindle 5, will hold the rowlock and its bearin g together against vertical displacement, but permitting a free horizontal movement therein. The chamber 9 will hold sufficient lubricating material to lubricate the bearing for a whole .seasons use. The lower portion 0 of the rowlock-fork is enlarged and a recess formed therein to receive the upper enlarged end (Z of the bearing 4. This feature eifectually prevents the entrance of dust to cut out the bearing and will also prevent the escape of the lubricant to soil the clothing of the occupants of the boat.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification of the chamber 9, which in this case is formed by reducing the spindle-journal in its central part.

In this class of rowlocks the oar is usually intended to be permanently attached to the rowlock-fork, either by means of screws, as shown at Fig. 1, or bya pin passing through both the fork and the oar, so that the oar may have a free oscillatory movement thereon.

The above-described rowlock is intended for use in a better class of boats than common, it being especially designed for use at watering-places and by guides in the Adirondacks, and it is therefore constructed with the end in view that it will undergo much abuse without detriment to its working qualities. Being attached to the car it cannot be lost. Therefore to ship the oar all that is necessary is to remove the bearing el from its seat in the socket-iron, in which seat, it is to be understood, it does not rotate, but is simply held therein by frictional contact, and the oars maybe thrown promiscuously about the sandy beach without danger of the sand getting into the bearings and cutting them out, as would be the case were the oar-lock pins withdrawn from their bearings in the gunwale-irons, as formerly, so that in a short time they will rattle and make such a noise that when used by guides, as before mentioned, it is impossible to approach game. Besides, they are always clean and free from oil to soil the clothing, as the bearing is so shut in by the recessed lock that none can cscape. hen more lubricant is required, the

pin '7 is withdrawn and the rowlock-spindle removed for that purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improvement; in row'locks, comprising in combin ation, with the rowlock 6 having the vertical spindle 5, of the bearing 4 in which said spindle is journaled, and means, snbstantially as shown, for detachabiy securing it thereto, saidrowlock having a recess to operatively receive the upper end of said bearing and thus prevent the entrance of dust and escape of lubricant, a chamber for said lubricant, the gunwaledron having a central socket to receive and support the rowlock-bearing, substantially as shown and for the purpose as hereinbefore set forth.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 3d day of 20 October, A. D. 1895.

FRED I'I. BASSE "1.

Vitnesses \VM. E. VVALKLEY, CHARLES SQABBOTT. 

